NEWS ARCHIVE

Former Gov. Thone remembered as a good man, servant to Nebraska

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From a small farm in Hartington, to the governor's mansion, those who knew Charley Thone remember him as a decent man who was dedicated to serving the people of Nebraska.

The 94-year-old passed away Wednesday."Just a great Nebraskan, very down to earth," said State Treasurer Don Stenberg.Stenberg was Thone's Policy Research director and his Dept of Administrative Services director when he was governor from 1979 to 1983. "He had a saying. Plan your work and work your plan. And that was pretty good advice," Stenberg said.Later, Thone advised and worked on several of Stenberg's campaigns." He was very, very helpful to a lot of young people like me coming up in politics. I wouldn't have had the opportunities to do what I've done without Charley Thone's help," Stenberg said.Stenberg wasn't alone seeking Thone's sage advice.He was sought out by presidential candidates from Barry Goldwater to Ronald Reagan."He had a good grasp of national politics had a good feel for what was going on in the country," Stenberg said. In Congress, Thone served on the House Select Committee on Assassinations, where he investigated the deaths of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Long-time friend and fellow Republican Art Knox has known Thone since the late 1950's."He believed in serving. He believed in helping others," Knox said.He served as Thone's campaign co-chair along with former Governor Kay Orr during his Congressional elections. "One thing that he just reminded his campaign workers and everybody close to him, always accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative. And kill them with kindness," Knox said.He said Thone was a genuinely nice person. "You're a good man, Charley Thone," even was one of his campaign slogans.Many say he was."He touched the lives of many people and I was one of those," Knox said."All of us who knew him will we miss having him around," Stenberg said. Thone's law partner and longtime friend, Mark Schorr, said the two things Thone was most proud of was maintaining strong funding for the University of Nebraska even in lean economic times. And his service to the people of the state.Thone is survived by his wife, former first lady Ruth Thone, and three daughters.

From a small farm in Hartington, to the governor's mansion, those who knew Charley Thone remember him as a decent man who was dedicated to serving the people of Nebraska.

The 94-year-old passed away Wednesday."Just a great Nebraskan, very down to earth," said State Treasurer Don Stenberg.Stenberg was Thone's Policy Research director and his Dept of Administrative Services director when he was governor from 1979 to 1983. "He had a saying. Plan your work and work your plan. And that was pretty good advice," Stenberg said.Later, Thone advised and worked on several of Stenberg's campaigns." He was very, very helpful to a lot of young people like me coming up in politics. I wouldn't have had the opportunities to do what I've done without Charley Thone's help," Stenberg said.Stenberg wasn't alone seeking Thone's sage advice.He was sought out by presidential candidates from Barry Goldwater to Ronald Reagan."He had a good grasp of national politics had a good feel for what was going on in the country," Stenberg said. In Congress, Thone served on the House Select Committee on Assassinations, where he investigated the deaths of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Long-time friend and fellow Republican Art Knox has known Thone since the late 1950's."He believed in serving. He believed in helping others," Knox said.He served as Thone's campaign co-chair along with former Governor Kay Orr during his Congressional elections. "One thing that he just reminded his campaign workers and everybody close to him, always accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative. And kill them with kindness," Knox said.He said Thone was a genuinely nice person. "You're a good man, Charley Thone," even was one of his campaign slogans.Many say he was."He touched the lives of many people and I was one of those," Knox said."All of us who knew him will we miss having him around," Stenberg said. Thone's law partner and longtime friend, Mark Schorr, said the two things Thone was most proud of was maintaining strong funding for the University of Nebraska even in lean economic times. And his service to the people of the state.Thone is survived by his wife, former first lady Ruth Thone, and three daughters.